San Geremia 1913

John Singer Sargent painted ‘San Geremia’ with oils, and wow, you can feel the process in every brushstroke. The blues and grays mix with these warm, earthy tones, giving the whole scene a kind of hazy, dreamlike quality. Look closely, and you’ll see how the paint isn't trying to hide anything. It’s thick in some spots, thin in others, and you can totally see the direction and movement of Sargent’s hand. The way he captures the light reflecting off the water—it’s all about these quick, gestural marks. It's like he’s not just painting a place, but a feeling, a moment. That dome in the center? It's not just a dome, it's this anchor that brings together the chaos of the water and sky. Sargent was so prolific, and I think you can see him grappling with a question that so many painters face: how do you make something solid and lasting out of something as fleeting as light and feeling? Think of him in conversation with Manet, both trying to capture the transient moments of modern life!